The Chinese car manufacturer SAIC plans to build a plant for electric vehicles in Europe and is currently looking for a location. SAIC has joint ventures in China with Volkswagen and General Motors that produce electric cars, among other things.

According to Reuters, the company is not yet giving any further details. SAIC is active abroad primarily with the growingly popular MG Motor passenger car brand and the Maxus commercial vehicle brand.

MG Motor currently accounts for about 70% of all vehicles sold by SAIC outside China, the company informs. Specifically, SAIC says it sold 530 000 vehicles overseas in the first quarter of 2023, up 40% year-on-year. According to SAIC, sales of MG vehicles in Europe more than doubled to 115 000 units in the first half of the year.

R&D in Europe, production in Asia

Currently, MG develops its vehicles in Europe but produces them in China. The latest example is the MG Cyberster electric roadster, which the brand unveiled at Auto Shanghai this year and is due to be launched in mainland Europe and the UK in the summer of 2024. The MG4 and MG5 volume models are currently already available, and so is the MG ZS EV.

SAIC estimates that its overseas sales could exceed 1,2 million units in 2023. Over ten new models under the MG brand will be launched worldwide in 18 months.

SAIC Motor has three R&D innovation centers in Silicon Valley, London, and Tel Aviv. It also has three design centers in London, Munich, and Tokyo and operates four production bases and factories abroad in Thailand, Indonesia, India, and Pakistan.

According to data from China Passenger Car Association, SAIC was the biggest exporter among all Chinese automakers in the first five months. The data showed that the UK, Mexico, Australia, and India were among its largest overseas markets.